Operating mechanism for wringers.



0. H. WATKINS.

OPERATING MECHANISM FOR WIHNGER'S.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.2\. 1915.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918;

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APPLICATION ElLED JAN.2I. I915,

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

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ORLA H. WATKINS,

F CLINTON, IOWA.

OPERATING MECHANISM non. WRINGERS.

Application filed January 21, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ORLA WATKINS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Clinton, in the county of Clinton and State of Iowa, have inventeda new and useful Operating Mechanism for Wringers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to power operated mechanisms for wringers.

The object of my invention is to provide an operating mechanism for wringers of simple, durable and inexpensive construction.

A further object is to provide such a mechanism,espeeially adapted for use with wringers employed on power washing machines and so constructed and arranged as to give a direct positive drive in which there will be no loss of power on account of the play in the parts or lost motion, and the parts of which may be operated with a minimum of noise.

My invention consists in certain details, in the construction, combination and arrangement of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claim, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

. Figure lshows a side elevation of a washing machine tub with the wringer installed thereon, and a mechanism for operating said wringer, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a top or plan view of said tub, wringer and mechanism, the tub being for the most part broken away to illustrate the mechanism.

Fig. 3 shows a front elevation of the washing machine tub, illustrating the Wringer and operating mechanism.

Fig. 4 shows a detail, sectional view of the worm gear.

In the accompanying drawings, I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate generally a washing machine tub supported upon the legs 11. In the exemplification of my invention as shown, the legs 11 are connected by a supporting shelf 12, on which is mounted a motor 13.

Of course it'will be understood that I do not confine myself to a motor or to any par ticular location of the source of power for running the wringer operating mechanism.

Suitably mounted on bearings on the shelf 12 is a shaft 14, on one end of which is a belt pulley 15. The pulley 15 is driven Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Serial No. 3,639.

from the pulley 16 on the motor shaft by means of a belt 17. Formed on the shaft 14 is a worm gear 18. Suitably mounted with relation to the shaft 14 is a gear casing 19, having a cover 20. Suitably mounted in the gear casing just described is a gear 21 in mesh with the worm 18. The gear 21 is mounted on the shaft 22, which extends out of the casing 20 in opposite directions. On one end of the shaft 22 is slidably and rotatably mounted a disk 23. Similarly mounted on the shaft 22 and spaced from the disk 23 is a similar disk 24. The disks 23 and 24 are connected by a wrist pin 25, shown in Fig. 4. Formed or mounted on the disk 23 is a sleeve 26, having at one end a flange 28, extending laterally from which, parallel with the shaft 22, is a pin 29. Mounted in the shaft 22 is a pin 30.

Suitably mounted, for instance upon the upper portion of the gear casing 19, is a bracket 31. Pivoted to the bracket 31 is a lever 32, one end of which extends to position adjacent to the sleeve 26 so that the swinging movement of the lever 32 will slide the sleeve 26 longitudinallv on the shaft 22, thereby sliding the disks 23 and 24.

It will be seen that when the sleeve 26 is at the inward limit of its movement, the rotation of the shaft 22 will cause the pin 30 to engage the pin 29, thereby rotating the sleeve 26 and the disks 23 and 24. Suitably mounted upon a support, as for instance upon the tub 10, is a wringer 33, which may be of the ordinary two roll type. The shaft 34 of one of the wringer rolls extends beyond the frame of the wringer, and fixed on the shaft 34 is a disk 35. Slightly spaced from the disk 35 is a similar disk 36, connected with the disk 35 by a wrist pin 36 similar to the wrist pin 25 which connects the disks 23 and 24.

Pivotally mounted on the wrist pin that connects the disks 35 and 36 is a bearing member 37, having a screw threaded opening. Pivotally connected with the wrist pin 25 which connects the disks 23 and 24, is a similar bearing member 38, having an oppositely screw threaded opening. Screwed into the opening in the bearing members 37 and 38 are the right and left hand screw threaded ends of a connecting rod 39. On the connecting rod 39 are lock nuts 40.

Pivotally mounted on the wrist pin 41 on the disk 36 is a bearing member 37 similar in construction to the bearing member 37.

Pivotally mounted on the wrist pin 42 on the disk 24 is a bearing member 38, similar in construction to the bearing member 38. A rod 43 having right and left hand screw threads in its ends is mounted in the bearing members 37 and 38 and is held in position by lock nuts 40.

In this connection it may be noted that the wrist pins 41 and 42 are arranged a quarter turn from the wrist pin 25 and the wrist pin 36 respectively. It will thus be seen that when the shaft 14 is rotated, it will transmit motion to the shaft 22 through the worm 18 and the gear 21. When the sleeve 26 is moved to the inward position of its movement, the disks 23 and 24 are drawn into gear with the shaft 22, whereupon reciproeating motion will be imparted to the connecting rods 39 and 43.

Owing to the peculiar location of the wrist pins hereinbefore described, it is impossible for the disks to stop with both connecting rods on center. If one of the rods should happen to be on center, the disks would be rotated by moving it by means of the action of the other rod for imparting rotation from the disks 23 and 24 to the disks 35 and 36, and thence to the wringer rolls.

The advantages of such a mechanism for operating the wringer as has hereinbefore been described are largely obvious from the foregoing description. Ordinarily power is tranmitted to the wringer rolls by means of a belt and pulleys or a chain and sprockets, or by means of a pinion or beveled gears." The belt drive is not positive and in many cases permits slippage, which is not desirable. The chain and gear drives are noisy. With a driving mechanism such as is herein described, the power is imparted directly to the wringer shaft and there can be no slippage and very little lost motion or .lost power in the transmission. It is well known that a crank reciprocating drive, obtained by means of crank wheels or the like, is less noisy than a gear or chain and sprocket drive.

While having the advantage of being a direct drive and practically noiseless, one of the difiiculties in employing the crank wheel and connecting rod construction for a drive for wringers is found in the fact that the parts are liable to stop on dead center, whence it is impossible to start them from a motor or engine without manually moving them. By using the double connecting rod construction, hereinbefore described, this Copies of this patent may be obtained for necting rods 39 and 43. It is very essential to provide such an attachment insomuch as if an attachment were not provided, the distances betwen the centers of the shafts 34 and 22 would vary on account of the expansion of the supporting members. This ad justment is provided in the nuts 40 in the screw-threaded portion of the connecting.

rods 43 and 44 as above described.

In my claim, by the use of the word wrist, I mean to include a wheel or crank arm or any other suitable means for accomplishing the purpose.

It will be understood that numerous changes may be made in the arrangement and construction of the parts of my improved mechanism and it is my intent to cover by this application any such changes which may be included within the scope of the claim.

I claimas my invention:

In a device of the class described, a washing machine tub, an operative mechanism mounted on one portion of said tub and including a shaft, a second shaft mounted on another portion of said tub, means for imparting rotation to said second shaft, a sleeve slidably and rotatably mounted on said second shaft, a disk on said sleeve, a disk spaced from said first disk, and operatively connected therewith by a pin, a disk on said first shaft in line with said first described disk, a fourth disk spaced from said third disk and connected therewith by a pin, wristpins on said second and fourth disks, spaced from said first and second described pins, a pitman adjustably connected with said first and second pins, a pitman adjustably connected with said wrist-pins, a laterally eX- tending pin on said sleeve, a pin on said second shaft, and means for sliding said sleeve for moving said last two described pins into cooperating position.

-Des Moines, Iowa, December 16, 1914.

ORLA H. lVATK'INS.

l/Vitnesses R. A. WATKINS, Mrs. O. H. WATKINS.

Washington, D. 0. 

